Electronic data-entry forms are commonly used to collect information. These electronic forms enable users to enter data and have that data stored digitally, such as in computer-accessible databases. Data so stored can be quickly retrieved, allowing others to use that data.
To make electronic data-entry forms more efficient and user-friendly, the forms can be built to include actions. These actions may reduce how much data a data-entry user has to enter,-such as by auto-populating data-entry fields, and make data entry generally easier and less error prone.
For example, assume that an electronic data-entry form requires entry of a mailing address. To enable a user to enter this address, the form provides data-entry fields for entry of a street address, a city, a state, and a ZIP code. To enter the mailing address, the user can enter the street address, the city, the state, and the ZIP code. But a form can be more efficient and user friendly by having an action that auto-populates the city and state based on an entered ZIP code. This action enables a user to have a full address entered into the form without having to enter the city and state.
Building this and other actions into an electronic data-entry form, however, can require significant time and computer-programming skill. A person often needs to have extensive training and experience in computer programming before he or she can build actions into an electronic data-entry form. Even with extensive training, this programmer may need hours or even days to build and maintain actions for an electronic data-entry form.
Further, actions built for electronic data-entry forms may have limited functionality and so not permit many desirable functions.